Barcelona use legend to convince Matthijs de Ligt to sign for them

The La Liga giants have not giving up hope of getting their man, sending Gerard Pique to help convince the Dutchman of a transfer.

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Matthijs De Ligt is arguably the most sought-after defender in world football at the moment, and Barcelona have not giving up hope of getting their man by sending Gerard Pique to help convince him.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, De Ligt and Pique are both holidaying in the Bahamas. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Pique met with the Dutchman in an attempt to turn his head.

Manchester United, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with De Ligt this summer after an incredible season in which he captained Ajax to the Eredivisie title, and to within a minute of the Champions League final.

Juventus looked to be leading the race to sign him, with wages on the table of around €10m per season – considerably more than what Barcelona are prepared to offer him.

His flirtation with Serie A hasn't gone down especially well in Holland; Dutch football expert Hugo Borst has criticised him for being "money hungry", saying there is no challenge at Juventus.

According to Sport, De Ligt has tried to get Barcelona to match Juventus' offer, but the Catalans won't budge. They are instead hoping that Pique will change his mind with the promise of them being defensive partners next year.

If De Ligt does opt for the Camp Nou, he'll be joining fellow Ajax wonderkid Frenkie de Jong, whose £65m move was confirmed earlier in the summer.